The Dangers Of Falling In Love
by DarlingMyLove
Summary: Penelope loved Kevin but she wasn't in love with him, no, she was in love with Derek Morgan. And now they were on a case, chasing after a deranged man who, just like Derek, had his sights set on Penelope.
1. Chapter 1

**I****t had been fourteen days since the rejection, and it was dawning on me that things would never be the same. I loved Kevin, I really did...I mean I do. I really do **_**love **_**Kevin, I'm just not in love with him. How could I marry someone I wasn't in love with? How could I be with someone who I didn't see a future with? I mean Kevin and I were never permenant in my mind. He wasn't my soulmate. I didn't feel that 'oomph' that I just needed from a man.**

**"Garcia...are you even listening to me?" JJ asked from across the table. We were out eating lunch, and I was supposed to be listening to some story she was telling me about Will. I heard it all but I wasn't really **_**there**_**.**

**"You and Will were having a simple conversation about what day the garbage was collected. It turned into a petty arguement by Will that he continued even when you tried to end it. And this isn't the first time this has happened so you think that there-"**

**"Yeah, alright you were listneing but you aren't exactly **_**here**_**." JJ said, taking a drink of her coffee. "What's on your mind?"**

**I groaned, "Everything."**

**"Can you be more vague, P?" JJ asked sarcastically furrowing a brow. **

**"Kevin and I haven't talked in two weeks, he says he needs space. It's driving me nuts because I don't know where we stand. And the more time I spend away from him the more I begin to move on. My rent has been raised, there's a leak in my bathroom so my water bill has spiked, and I haven't slept in like three frickin' days."**

**"Garcia." JJ sighed empathically. "You can't do this to yourself, you haven't done anything wrong."**

**"I broke Kevin's heart." I pointed out.**

**"That was unavoidable, you don't love him the way he loves you. And there isn't much either one of you can do about that. It is what it is." She said matter-a-factly. I think the job made her a bit callous when it came to things like this. She wasn't a Gideon, but she wasn't really grasping my feelings on this. And the one person I knew who could, I really didn't want to involve. Since he was the main reason I couldn't love Kevin the way he wanted me to. My heart belonged to someone else.**

**JJ's phone alerted her with a text and she groaned when she read it. A moment later my own phone sang a tune, telling me that I had work to do.**

**"Guess lunch is over." JJ said.**

**JJ and I were the lasts to enter the briefing room. Only two chairs were left; one beside Derek and the other beside Rossi. Before I could even snag the one beside Rossi, JJ got there first. I mentally cursed her skinny ass before sitting beside Derek. He watched me sit, and smiled up at me. I gave him a small smile and turned towards Aaron, who was standing in front of the display screen.**

**He began describing the case, and I could barely pay attention to any of it. All I could think of was Derek sitting next to me, his long muscular arm brushing slightly against my own. I wanted to pull away from the physical electric charge, because if I didn't I wholeheartedly believed my arm would burn from the heat. **

**Derek nudged me, and I blinked clearing away the not so clean thoughts I was having. Everyone was staring at me, "What?"**

**Hotchner gave me disapproving stare, "I was telling you that you were coming with us to Kansas, but you weren't listening."**

**I scooted closer to the table. Oh, sorry. I'm listening, really, I was just thinking about something."**

**Ried piped up right when I didn't need him to, "About the case?" He thought he was helping, he wasn't. JJ who was sitting between him and Rossi stuck her elbow into his side. He yelped and gave a 'what-did-I-do' look. **

**Hotchner gave me another discontented look and continued on with the briefing. And I tried my very best to pay attention, although sitting next to Morgan wasn't really doing me any favors. Why did he have to smell so damn good?**

**I ended up spacing out during the briefing anyway towards the end, and found the meeting was over when everyone raised from their seats. Not wanting any excuses for conversation I waited everyone out, letting them leave the room ahead of me. I thought I was in the clear, but once I left I saw Morgan had waited for me. **

**"Hey, babygirl." He greeted me, keeping pace with me as I walked back to my office. I had to gather a few things before the ride to Kansas.**

**"Hey." I replied. As we passed the main room, full of other agents and their cubicles I had to mentally smile at the female recognition that Morgan got. Women of all kinds fawned after the man, using any little excuse to talk to him or get his attention. And he usually let them, enjoying the attention. But not today, it was like the women weren't even there. **

**His attention was on me, clearly concerned. Derek waited for me to speak up, but when I didn't he sighed and gave up. "I noticed you were a bit...**_**distracted **_**during the briefing today."**

**I stopped at the door to my office, and busied myself with unlocking the door. "Uh, yeah, didn't meant for that to happen. I just had a few things on my mind." Derek followed me into the room, and closed the door behind us. I went to my desk, figuring out what I should take with me to Kansas. I looked back at Derek as I heard the soft click of him locking the door. **

**This was slightly a little too intimate. Since this was my first time in my office today, there weren't any lights on. Only the dim light from my table lamp was on. Not even my computers were booted up yet. And here I was alone in my locked office with Derek. With the blinds closed, and minimal light. Oh, boy. **

**"Is there something you want to talk about Penelope?" Derek asked me.**

**I shook my head, leaning against my desk. Derek wouldn't believe me if I said no, and there were things bothering me. Hopefully I could name a few and he'll unlock that door and walk out. My heart was racing against my chest, and my palm was gripping the strap of my bag so hard I thought my knuckles would burst against strained skin. "Just a few personal things, nothing too serious." Ya know like breaking Kevin's heart and being in love with you. Nope, nothing too serious. Even I wanted to roll my eyes at that. **

**He crossed his arms over his chest, raising a sculpted eyebrow. "Tell me."**

**And I wanted to, he was one of my bestest friends. I usually told him everything, so of course he would be suspicious when I suddenly wasn't telling him anything. I told him about my raised rent, the leaky pipe, overbearing paperwork, and a few details about me and Kevin. He listened without interruption and when I was finished he just looked at me.**

**"Why did you say no?" Derek asked me. **

**I shook my head, "I don't know."**

**"Yes, you do." Derek told me softly, he took a step towards me and then looked back at the locked door. And at this moment I desperately wanted to be psychic, what was going through his mind? **

**I didn't know what to say, but I knew I had to say something to fill in the silence. The air was suddenly filled with too much energy, static, emotion, and unsaid words that I couldn't take it. "I love Kevin." I muttered. **

_**Wow, Garcia, say it like you mean it.**_

**"Then tell me **_**why **_**you said no, babygirl." Derek demanded. His voice came out rough, like he was holding back what he really wanted to say, what he really wanted to do. I heard the jingle of the knob being turned and the door refusing to budge against the lock.**

**"I don't know." I said adamantly. My office phone rang and I turned away from Derek to answer it. "Penelope Garcia here."**

**It was JJ. "I don't know what you and Morgan are doing in there but the jet is ready."**

**I almost sighed in relief, but remembered that Derek was only a few feet away. If it were possible to hug through the phone, I would squeezed JJ. "We're coming."**


	2. Chapter 2

**On the plane ride to Kansas we de-briefed again. And to make up for being distracted at the first meeting I went over all the evidence that we had, and watched the news coverage over the murders. I busied myself like this until finally JJ and Prentiss came to sit with me. They gave me the we-know-something-is-wrong look. **

**"Garcia." Was all Prentiss had to say to know I was in trouble. **

**"Don't even." **

**"You gotta talk sometime." JJ said.**

**"I talked to Derek." **

**This certainly piqued JJ's interest, she smiled, looking over my shoulder at Derek. I hoped he wasn't looking this way, JJ wasn't even trying to hide her excitement. "Details, Garcia, I need them."**

**Prentiss was confused. "Okay what am I missing? Garcia and Morgan always talk, what's the signifigance now?"**

**JJ grinned like the freaking Cheshire cat. The woman didn't get out much since so this situation was like a soap opera come to life. "**_**Garcia**_**, talk."**

**I groaned, sulking into my seat wishing I could click my heels and go home away from Kansas. "There isn't anything to talk about."**

**Prentiss was getting annoyed, "What in the hell am I missing?"**

**"Oh my god, tell me you can't even guess!" JJ exclaimed. **

**Prentiss looked at me and then over my shoulder, twice, before a lightbulb turned on behind her eyes. "Oh...oh...**_**oh **_**wow. You and Morgan, huh, I saw it coming."**

**JJ rolled her eyes, having the nerve to giggle. What was coming over her? "Sure." JJ looked back to me, "You aren't talking."**

**This was my like my fourth time shaking my head at one my collegues. "Why does everyone want me to tell them something, geesh, nothing happened. Okay? **_**Nothing**_**."**

**"Well, **_**sorry**_**." Prentiss replied, blatantly amused by my surliness. She wasn't the least bit sorry.**

**A few hours later the jet landed, and I was the first off the plane. Trying to create distance between Derek, JJ, Prentiss and I. I stood beside Rossi who raised an eyebrow up at me, probably wondering why I was avoiding the others. I shrugged, tugging my bright pink suitcase behind me as we split up into cars. It was around after seven, and the sun had set twenty minutes ago. **

**"Hey, babygirl, you in there?" **

**Well...crap. I wiped the tears from my eyes and picked myself off the bed. There weren't any hotels in - because not too many people vacationed here or even vistied. Most people who came stayed with the people they knew, they were hospital like that. So the team were staying at one of the police officers on duties home. He barely stayed there, rather staying with his new girlfriend and he welcomed us in with open arms. **

**We'd arrived at the house maybe two hours after landing, deciding it best to visit the police station first before settling in. I was swamped with so much new information, I didn't know if I had time to go to sleep. And if I didn't I was going to have to hype myself up with a six pack of Red Bull and coffee. **

**I opened the door, tired, and totally not prepared to talk to Derek. But it wasn't like I could avoid him. "Hey, sweetstuff." I said, drily. None of my usual sexual ethusiasm **

**It made Derek though, and that smile was sexy and contagious. A spike of energy hit me and I smiled with him. "Sorry, I'm just really tired. Jet lag."**

**He shrugged, "That's understandable, you don't travel often. I wanted to let you know that Hotchner said that we can all pack it in for tomorrow. So don't go staying up into middle of the night, go to bed."**

**"Okay, daddy, I will." I replied jokingly. "Aren't you just full of demands lately?"**

**His eyes darkened as he remembered what I was talking about. "Are you going to tell me? We're alone. The others have already gone to their beds."**

**Alone? With Derek? Usually I reeled at this thought but right now I wanted everything but, or did I? Being alone with Derek can lead to all types of delicious things. I licked my lips at the thought and Derek smiled at the gesture. I played dumb, "Tell you what?"**

**"Tell me why you told Kevin that you couldn't marry him? You love him don't you, you said so yesterday."**

**I nodded, "I love Kevin, I'm just not in love with him. I can't marry him because I don't feel the same way about him as I feel-" Oops! I said too much, way too much. Go back, go back Garcia. Time travel, think of something!**

**"Keep going, you're doing good." He urged like I was giving birth or something.**

**I swallowed drily, continuing. "I can't marry him because I don't feel the same way about him as I feel that should." Whew! Dodged a bullet right there.**

**He growled, stepping towards me and I stepped back hitting the edge of my bed. Oh, no. This wasn't good. Derek didn't stop, moving closer and closer. Each step quiet but determined. Oh sweet baby Jesus save me! "That isn't what you were going to say, Penelope."**

**"Well if you know what I'm supposed to say, or what I was going to say can you clue me in because I'm clueless!" I said as I fell back on the bed. My breaths were shallow, and hard to take in. He was so close I could smell his cologne, his hands reached out and he pinned me on the bed. His body leaning over mind and his face only inches away.**

**"I want you to admit it to yourself, what I already **_**know**_**. That's what bestfriends are for right?"**

**"What?"**

**"You know helping each other through things like this. Realizing things that have been set in motion for years?" Derek explained softly.**

**He was losing me, fast. I was going to pass out just from this heated contact with him. If he didn't move I wasn't going to have a choice but jump his bones, and I don't think the rest of the team would enjoy the rachous sounds. "What has been set into motion for years, Derek? I'm lost. Find me, please, so my overworked brain can catch a break."**

**Derek lost his smile, kissed my cheek, and straightened to his feet. "Good night, Garcia."**


	3. Chapter 3

**Breakfast was awkward, and I was late to it. I had slept like a baby, and ignored my alarm clock all together. Prentiss had to come and wake me up before I missed breakfast all together. It was only nine in the morning and the police department didn't open up until noon. The department gave the team a key to the building so they were getting a head start and I was tired as hell. I wanted to stay in bed and not wake up until after noon...around four maybe.**

**On the inside I was crying like a baby, wanting desperately to be rocked back to sleep...by Derek. Wait, what? No. I need coffee. **

**JJ gave me a good once over and shoved a cup of java into my hand. "You look like you need it."**

**I smiled, "You sure know the way to a girls heart." **

**The team were running all over the house, talking, dressing, and packing up stuff to take to the P.D. Which meant that Derek was too preoccupied to make me tell him anything. I counted that as a tiny wittle blessing. I needed to focus on the case.**

**The unsub was theorized to be male, in his teens. They figured he was muscular, and between 5"5 and 5"9 because of they were the heads of the girls he killed were bashed in. Also the unsub had to have some kind of anger towards these girls because of the way he mutilated and dumped their bodies afterwords. The murders were believed to be personal or he just didn't have a specific preference yet. They got that idea because the girls all ranged from different sizes and colors. The things he did to those young girls were cruel, and I hated having to look at the pictures.**

**The small town had three schools, once in the ghetto, the other two were gender segreted. One school for the boys, and the other for the girls. Everyone lived so close to one another that they knew one another, the whole 'I can't even think of someone who could do a thing like this' cliche came to mind.**

**I didn't get any calls, which meant the unsub hadn't killed another girl. Good.**

**"Is this...the F.B.I?"**

**"Uh...who is this?"**

**"Is this the F.B.I? Answer my question, or I'm hanging up."**

**"Um, yes, this is the F.B.I.. Who is this?"**

**"I'm the man that you're looking for."**

**"Oh, really. And who is that again, you gotta name?"**

**He chuckled, "Cute. That's cute, trying to get my name. Who are you? the rest of the team are at the department...or at least that's what I was told. What are you doing all alone at Detective Bryants?"**

_**He knew I was at Bryant's house. He knows that I'm alone!"**_**I'm the computer analyst, I don't have to be with the team at all time."**

**"Oh, computer analyst. I googled your little team, saw a few newspaper clippings. If you're the computer analyst...you must be Penelope Garcia. The best of of the cyber techs."**

**"That's me."**

**"You are really pretty, ya know. Got a nice face...a nice...head." He chuckled again. "There is a murderer on the loose, you would think they wouldn't leave their best tech all alone. Everyone in town knows you're there...all alone. Things can happen. Bad things."**

**"I can handle myself, and who say's I'm-"**

**"What are you doing over there?" His smooth young voice turned hard, and mean.**

**He must have heard me clicking away on my computer keyboard. I was going to tap in on the call and track the call to whereever he was calling.**

**"Aw, I have to go now. See ya later, Miss Garcia." And then he hung up.**

**I called the team immediately, I usually call Morgan but I called Rossi instead. "Hey, Garcia, why are you calling my phone. Don't you usua-"**

**"The unsub **_**called **_**me, Rossi. He called **_**me**_**, I just spoke with him."**

**"Repeat what you just said."**

**"I said the unsub just called me, I just spoke with him. He said I had a pretty head, and pretty face, and that you guys shouldn't leave me here alone...I'm freaking out. I'm sorry but I am, oh my god. What if-"**

**I was apparently on speaker phone.**

**"Morgan where are you going, come back." I heard Rossi yell. "This is what he wants, for us to get angry-"**

**"He isn't going to come back, Rossi." I heard Reid say and he was right. Morgan came marching through the front door not even ten minutes later. Demanding to know every last detail of that conversation.**

**"Sorry." Was all that I could ever say at the time, I got carried away, I freaked out. But who wouldn't freak out when an unsub who has been murderering girls all over town calls and knows who you are. And thinks that you have a beautiful head?**

**Ross sighed, taking a moment to consider how to proceed. "It isn't your fault Gacia. It's a good thing that he's going to see you, you shouldn't be alone."**

**"Okay, um, do you want me to relay the conversation?" I asked after a moment had be spent in silence. **

**Hotchner spoke up, "Yes, I want a thorough explanation of what happened, up to the point before you even answered the phone." I told them everything. No one interrupted, letting me finish the story. The team followed up with questions, and I answered them all. At the end of the conversation is when Derek came bursting through the door. **

**"Garcia what was **_**that**_**?" Ried asked me, hearing the racket Derek had created.**

**"Whodoyathink?" Um, the murderer probably. I straightened that out. "It's Derek."**

**"Garcia!" Derek called my name from the kitchen (the front door opened there). And his voice carried on until he found me in the living room. Sitting on the couch, in perfect condition physically. Emotionally I was a bit of a wreck, but seeing Derek, the worry on his face washed all that away. Every fiber in my body wanted to enfold him in my arms, kiss him, wipe that grim look off of his face with my fingers. Something to get the sorrow as if he had already lost me to disappear. **

**I was still on the line with the team. "Garcia, we'll talk tonight." Hotchner said, hanging up. **

**I placed my laptop beside me on the couch and patted the space on the other side of me. Derek's shoulders were still stiff, raised up tensely. His eyebrows were furrowed, his eyes soft as they looked into mine, and his lips were in a grim thinned line.**

**I let my fingers drift over his face. Cupping his cheek, and loving the fact that he leaned into my palm. Relaxing just a little bit, he looked me over once more. Making sure I was alright. "Tell me about the call." He said hoarsely, anger pulled back in the depth of his brown eyes. **

**I told him everything and he just looked at me as I did. **

**My hand was in my lap, the other playing with my hair nervously. Here I was again alone with Derek Morgan. The one man that made me shiver with his hugs, kisses, that smile, pecks on the cheek, his heartily laugh, that **_**body**_**. And damn if he had the body of a Greek God. Too bad he was wearing a shirt, but that didn't stop me from admiring his arms. Long, lined with muscle, and lethal in blows. But I was more focused on his hands than anything, yum. The things I knew he could do with them, the things I wanted him to do to me with those hands. My face flushed red.**

**"You're staring, Penelope." Derek told me softly, his lips quirked in a knowing smile.**

**"Sorry, I'm just thinking." I said, speaking as low as he was. The whole house was quite except for the hum of my equipment from my office. It is hard to break that kind of silence.**

**Derek kept on smiling, sliding his fingers along my forehead to push my hair out of my face. "About what?"**

**I shrugged, "Nothing important."**

**"I wanna hear it." He said, and I knew him well enough to know that he was demanding and not just stating a fact.**

**I rolled my eyes, "Nope." My phone buzzed and I checked the alert. It was Prentiss asking if I was alright. I texted back, and was looked up to see a pissed off Derek Morgan.**

**"What?"**

**"Who are you texting?" He asked. And I wondered why in the hell he would be concerned on who was texting my cell phone. It clearly wasn't the unsub.**

**"My lover." I said jokingly.**

**He growled somewhere deep in his throat and he tried to take the phone from my lap. I got to it first and stuffed it into my cleavage. His eyebrow rose and he looked at my chest, but it didn't seem like was weighing options to dive in for the phone. I looked him over again and it was my turn to frown. Derek looked jealous.**

**"Seriously, P, who was that?"**

**I answered him, "It was Prentiss wanting to know if I was alright."**

**He sighed (in relief?), "Oh, okay."**

**I settled back into the couch, it wasn't even in the evening yet and I was already pooped. "Thanks for rushing over."**

**"You didn't expect me too?" Derek asked me, sounding offended.**

**I shook my head, "No that it isn't it at all. I just appreciate you doing it, even if I expected it. I didn't doubt at all that my own personal super hero was going to come to swoop in and save the day."**

**"The day isn't saved yet..." Derek wasn't talking about me, he was talking about the muderers. That boy still being on the loose and killing innocent girls for sport. The day wasn't saved yet, but it needed to be, and soon.**

**I squeezed his shoulder, "It will be."**

**He sighed again, hard, like was trying to blow the anger right from his body. "Oh, babygirl, you scared me." Derek looked me in my eyes, and I felt the worry in his like a physical hurt. "If anything were to happen to you...I just...**

**"No. Don't even think like that, it isn't going to happen. I have you, and the team protecting me. And hey" I flashed my best smile "I can take care of myself."**

**He groaned dragging a hand across his face roughly. "That's it. I don't want you having to take care of yourself in that way." He shook his head, hating the idea. "If anything was to-"**

**"It won't." I interjected.**

**He nodded, agreeing. "Damn, right. I'm going to catch this bastard." I didn't need any reassurance that he would. It was Derek Morgan, my hero.**


	4. Chapter 4

**"Penelope, open up." It was JJ and Prentiss outside my door no doubt. I loved them to death, but I was hella tired. This Jaguar had been driven too far, and way to hard. I needed a mocha latte, a back massage, and my bunny slippers before getting out of this bed. That was my first thought when I was awake. Then I remembered there was still a murderer on the loose, and that innocent lives were being taken. That was more motivation that I needed.**

**Maybe they needed something that was work related. Groggily I opened the door for them, not even bothering to wipe the sleep from my eyes. "'Morning." I croaked.**

**JJ was already dressed, her hair parted at the front and lay bone straight on her shoulder. Prentiss was dressed, her teeth glistening white as she smiled at me. I on the other hand looked a mess, I didn't even wipe last night's make-up off of my face before I had fell asleep. All the crying, fear, worrying, and working had made me exhausted.**

**"Someone's still sleepy." Prentiss pointed out unnecessarily cuing me to glare openingly at her.**

**"Oh, no I'm up and at 'em." I said sarcasticly.**

**"Honey, it's noon. Hotchner wanted you to sleep in...but um, we kind of need you downstairs." **

**I nodded, "It's fine,it's my job. I'll be down after I get dressed. Give me ten minutes."**

**"Take your time, P." Prentiss said, walking back down the stairs. JJ followed and I was left alone, despising the fact I had let that guy get to me. I had Derek, Ried, JJ, Prentiss, Ross, and Hotchner. No one was going to get to me unless they wanted to get through them, and no one was going to beat the infallible Derek Morgan.**

**After I showered and dressed I met the team downstairs. They were cleaning up their mess in the kitchen and conversing about the case. Hotchner was talking to a police officer that I had already met. Mr. Brian Bryant; the owner of the house.**

**Hotchner noticed me enter the kitchen and acknowledged me with a head nod. Mr. Bryant smiled and I smiled back as I followed Ried outside to the porch. **

**"What's going on in there?"**

**"Rossi suggested that Bryant stay with you."**

**That lifted a weight off of my chest that I hadn't known was there. My clenched hands loosened on my pants and I sighed. "Ohmigawd you don't know how happy I am to hear that! I've been freaking out secretly about it all. Can't believe the unsub called me!"**

**"Derek's pissed." Ried commented, glancing over to me. **

**"What he'd say?" I wanted to know what he said about the ordeal when I wasn't around to hear. People didn't realize it but Derek and Ried were practically best friends. They didn't have a lot in common, but that didn't seem to matter to them. If anything it strengthened their friendship.**

**Ried looked away, licking his lips and then looking back at me. Not quite looking me in the eye. "Just said that he doesn't want to see you hurt." He shrugged, "None of us do."**

**I groaned, "Ried."**

**"What I-" He never got to finish. The front door swung open and the team pooled out, along with Mr. Bryant. Rossi introduced me to him again, and relayed his idea to me.**

**"Penelope this is Brian Bryant, you've met before. Because you can't unplug your equipment and ship it back and forth to the department I wanted to give you some protection detail. Bryant is going to stay here with you while we're away."**

**As he explained I felt like a total kid who was too young and irresponsbile to be home alone and needed a babysitter. I wasn't digging the vibe at all, but I wasn't going to deny the protection. Nope that certainly wasn't going to happpen. I refuse to stay here alone, no matter how brave I wanted to be.**

**So it was settled while the team was away, Bryant was here to stay. He didn't ask me a bijillion questions or hover. He watched television in the dining room after carrying the portable from a room upstairs, and staying in the living room. Answering the teams calls, and relaying information they requested.**

**So I wasn't surprised when Ried called. "Hey, love, whatdoyaneed?"**

**"Hello, Peleope." **

**My heart froze, and all of a sudden stars blinked in my vision. That didn't sound like Ried or anyone else from the team for that matter. Plus Ried didn't let anyone touch his new phone, it was his favourite little toy.**

**"Who is this?" I asked.**

**"Not Ried. I am who you are looking for..." He repied slyly, his voice creeping down my spine like grit. "What are you doing at the moment?"**

**I didn't even lie. "Nothing...um, texting the team."**

**"About me?" He asked hopefully.**

**"Yep." I replied hastily. "That, uh, make you happy?"**

**"Quite so...Penelope. Are you afriad of me? Everyone else, they're frightened, spooked."**

**"I'm scared." I admitted, some killers got off on that. **

**"You're stupid not to be." Then he was laughing, bitterly. "You know...you guys are supposed to be these high clearance F.B.I specialists but you're really beginning to bore me."**

**"How?" I couldn't bare to speak more than one word.**

**"Your security. So fucking weak, so easy." He said harshly.**

**I jumped to my feet letting my laptop fall to the floor, I rushed towards the kitchen. And saw that Bryant had walked outside (the door still propped open) without telling me he was going to his car. I looked to his police car and there he was, laying in front of it. "What did you do?" I screamed into my phone.**

**He didn't answer me and why would he? I saw what he had done. Blood pooled from his uniform, surrounding his body messily. Bryant was unconscisous, but breathing. **

**"Bye, Pretty." The Unsub whispered, and with a click he was gone. I called 911 and stayed with Bryant. Using the basic medical trianing they gave you at the Bureau.**

**I cried into Rieds chest, his wiry arms wrapped around my back. I could barely breathe, speak or stand up. **

**"Hey, it's okay. Bryant is going to be fine. You saved him." Ried cooed, rubbing my back. Slowly my cries subsided. My heart hurt though, and my eyes stung. I was glad that we were apart from the team at this moment. No one needed to see me cry, Ried wouldnt' tell any one.**

**"I wish I was still in Virginia." I said, stepping away, wiping tears from my face.**

**RIed brightened with facts. The things he loved the most, what he was comfortable with. "Derek was talking to Hotchner about that. He doestn't believe you're safe here. I don't either, I mean all of us don't. The director...she thinks otherwise."**

**Which meant I was here to stay.**

**Later on we were all at the Police Department (the team refused to leave me anywhere alone). I'd been at the department for a few days with them, going to the towns schools to interview students, and the faculties. Those few days the town stayed quiet, and alive. No one had been hurt, missing, or even sick. The team were afraid he'd gone into hiding, waiting us out to leave. **

**"There hasn't been any attacks since he has been in touch with Garcia." Rossi pointed out.**

**Derek looked across the table at Ried. "Have we even made any leeway on finding out how the hell he'd even gotten Ried's phone?" **

**Blushing bright red, Ried cleared his voice. "Erm, I said before I left it in the car. He must have broken into it and found it."**

**Derek shook his head, "Shouldn't have happened." He muttered.**

**"But it did." JJ stated, not liking how Derek was treating Ried. "Look, this is somewhat a good thing. He knows our names, and what he looks like. He said himself that he likes blondes. Yet he has never called me, he's called Garcia. Twice. He likes her. And the fact that no one has been harmed since like week tells us he has to be waiting for something."**

**"He could be watching, waiting for the moment that Garcia is alone." Prentiss added.**

**"Never." Derek uttered under his breath, but I heard him. And I felt the promise.**

**"Only one of the victims was blonde; Katie Bishop." I stated.**

**"Right." Prentiss nodded, "The other's weren't, two brunettes, a redhead, and the other had black hair."**

**I felt as if I was going to vomit. I wasn't used to this kind of thing. Usually I was alone, in my office, sorting through files and whatnot. They call, I answer, and I give thm the information that they requested. Sitting here looking at the pictures, the murder weapon (a metal bat), and remembering his cold creepy little voice was not my thing. **

**"Garcia?" Hotchner called my name, looking over at me with concern.**

**I smiled meekly, "I have to go to the bathroom, I'll be right back." I launched out of my chair and left the room charging towards the bathroom. It wasn't a total lie, a total excuse to get the hell out of there. I did need to pee. **

**After doing my 'business', I washed my hands and returned to the team. Feeling a little bit better. Not five minutes after sitting down did my phone ring against my boob. I took it out just to put it on 'silent mode', but then I recognized the number. **

**"It's him." I whispered.**

**"Answer it." Hotchner instructed.**

**I gulped, my mouth drying and answered the phone. "Hello?"**

**"Where are you?" He asked me, bored. His voice wasn't all that bad, but the emotionaless he put into it is what disturbed me. He sounded like a person who didn't care rather he lived or died. **

**"With the team." Vague.**

**He snorted, "How is that pretty little head of yours? Are you still feeling neasous, maybe you're pregnant." **

**"I'm not and how-"**

**Rossi took the phone from my hands and plugged it into the speaker phone we had brought from Virginina. But before he could talk Derek cut in. "Hello?"**

**"Put Penelope back on the phone" The unsub demanded, his voice turning rough as sandpaper.**

**"No, you're talking to me now."**

**"Then I guess I won't be talking at all." The unsub said.**

**"Why do you do it?" I interjected, I knew it was important to keep him on the phone. I booted my laptop up, trying to keep him on the phone long enough that I could trace his call. The thing is Rieds phone was built in a way that you couldn't do that. It was a irreversible modification that even I couldn't decode because I had helped him make that way. Now it was my worst enemy at the moment.**

**"Pretty?"**

**"Yes." I was ashamed of how I sounded. Shaky and unsure. **

**"Question...are you naturally blonde? It's important."**

**"Answer me first." I ordered.**

**"I do it because it **_**thrills **_**me to know I'm destroying not just a face but an entire identity. Brain, smile, eyes...thrills me. Now answer me."**

**"Nautral blonde."**

**"I thought so. I love blondes. Talk to you later, Pretty." And then he hung up. **

**I hadn't even brought up the software to trace his call yet.**

**A/N: Hello, this is my second Morgan/Garcia fanfic and pacing it quite slowly. Things will begin to heat up with Marcia in the following chapters. Thank you for reading, reviewing, and subscribing. It is very much appreciated!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Behind Hotchner a door swung open, slamming into the wall and bouncing back. A skinny, short man stood in the doorway struggling to catch his breath. "Hey!' He exclaimed, spotting Hotchner. "A girls dead...Alison Mulberry. In school. Messy. Very messy." **

**The team scrambled to their feet, following Hotchner out of the room. The small man told them which school it was and I was long forgotten, and I didn't mind at all. I was left behind as they went to the school, and I stayed close to my computer. They may need me.**

**My phone rang twenty minutes later, by a number I didn't recognize. "Garcia here." I answered lamely, not even bothering to put forth any ethusisam. I just wasn't feeling it, and the news of a teenager girl being bludgeoned wasn't much of a energy boost.**

**"Hey, Pretty."**

**"Stop calling me that." I bit out.**

**He chuckled, "Such naughty underwear you have."**

**I froze in my seat, hoping he wasn't where I thought he was. At Bryant's home, in the room I was sleeping in. Just thinking about him rummaging through my belongings made my blood boil and a shiver coil through my spine. "Excuse me?"**

**He laughed to himself, "I'm at Bryants place. In the room you're sleeping in."**

**"What? W-why?" **_**To get me, he thought I might have been there**_**. **

**He didn't automatically respond, I had to repeat myself. "Huh? Oh, because I'm interested to know about you, you will soon be mine...I'm taking a pair with me. Does that excite you?"**

**"What about JJ?" I asked before he could say anything else about my undergarmets. Plus this was something the team was curious about. And I didn't want to regard him calling me his. **

**"What?" He replied absent-mindedly.**

**"I asked you about JJ. Why are you so focused on me?" It was a question that the team was wondering about. They didn't have to say it but it was obvious. JJ was tall, thin, and beautiful. Plus she was blonde, which seemed to be his **_**favorite**_**.. So why was he so hell bent on me? **

**The team went anyway, and he was right. He was gone about time they had gotten there. After relaying the phone call I added, "He sounded bored."**

**"Bored with you?" Prentiss asked.**

**"No like he was just bored." I hestiated. "He was distracted too, I kept having to repeat myself." Spending so much time with profilers you learned to pay attention to certain things...like everything.**

**JJ sighed, sulking into her chair. "We came up with absolutely nothing at the boys school, they teachers can't think of anyone who could have commited these murders. And they can't think of anyone who fits our profile."**

**"He could have already graduated." I said helpingly.**

**Hotchner ran a hand through his hair, his face sullen as always. The rest of the team viewed him as a man who didn't often smile, or have a sense of humor. But he wasn't like that at all, the job made him serious. We're all his responsiblity plus the case and he took that very seriously. You'd catch him occasionally cracking a joke, or smiling to himself at one of us. And no one would hardly notice, but that was him. Since his wife had died he didn't seem to want to be noticed. "No, we checked that too. None of the teachers could give us a name. Rossi had you check for any criminal records right?"**

**I nodded, glancing over at Rossi. "He had me check for any male students at either schools who had any criminal history, or family with criminal history. Including graduated students of the last three years. Nothing came up but with four students-"**

**Prentiss cut in, "and they were all dead ends. The only real solid lead we have right now is you." She said turning to stare right at me. Which caused everyone to look at me, and have that 'she's right' look. **

**"She's right." Ried confirmed. **_**Well isn't that just dandy?**_

**"I was thinking about that..."**

**"You were?" Morgan asked cooly, he didn't sound happy at all as if he could predict what Hotchner was about to say.**

**"Yes, I was." Hotchner answered giving Morgan a look. He turned away from him and from the head of the table faced all of us instead. "From the beginning; we arrive, the town finds out including the unsub. He researches the team, undoubtfully finding news about the cases we've solved. Usually Garcia isn't involved in any of those, she's in the background at the bureau, but now she's travelled along. He does some recon on her, gets interested."**

**"Finds a picture of her too, she's blonde, pretty, smart. Most of the girls he killed were Honor Roll students, could be something he despises." Rossi said.**

**"Yeah but he doesn't talk to her like he doesn't like her. He calls her Pretty, stalks her moves, he stole Ried's phone just so he could get into contact with her. And he said she'll be his soon, which can mean a number of things." Derek added, sitting up from his seat and leaning on his elbows at the table. Once he mentioned Ried he looked over at him and glared making Ried look back at Hotchner, his face turning red. "He had a chance to hurt babygirl and he didn't. He just maimed Bryant and left, saying that he was upset that her security was weak. As if he expected better for her."**

**Derek leaned back in his seat and muttered, "and he called her **_**mine**_**." He didn't seem to like the possessive claim the unsub had made. And for reasons I wasn't going to look for that made me want to grin wide and proud. I loved it when Derek got protective over me. My hero.**

**"He came to Bryant's house expecting her to be there again and she wasn't. Maybe he was distracted because his plans were ruined and he was thinking of a way to get Garcia." Prentiss theorized.**

**Hotchner turned to me, "What do you think?"**

**"Huh?"**

**"Why do you think the unsub is so interested in you? Why do you think he was acting that way on the phone?" **

_**Because he wants to kill me, why aren't you guys coming to this conclusion like I am?**_

**Tears burned behind my eyes, I wasn't built for these type of things. Why didn't they get it? I don't know! I don't know how to talk to someone and detect their emotion, job, and childhood without meeting them. I was barely making it through the day without thinking that I was going to get bludgeoned by some sick guy because my hair was blonde. What was I kidding, I wasn't making it through the day without thinking about being murdered, I wasn't making it at all! **

**My hands shook underneath the table, my eyes burned, and my teeth were biting deeply into my lips. No one really seemed to notice though, but I could see that Derek did. He looked at me softly, his eyes seeking me out like a caress. "It's because he wants to kill me, he wants me dead. That's why. And you all know it so I don't understand why you just asked me that. He was probably distracted because I wasn't at Bryant's and he thought I was, and he's plotting a way to get me. Prentiss is right. I-I-don't know how to help you any more than that than doing **_**my **_**job." Any second now and I would be a blubbering mess. "I have to go to the bathroom now." **_**To cry... **_

**Hotchner nodded his eyes moving away from me regretfully. "Go ahead." **

**I did have to pee but I didn't want the girls to come and follow me there. I didn't want the sympathetic looks and trying to make me feel better. It wasn't right. I was still alive and there were young girls in the morgue waiting to be buried. I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself and be stronger. **

**"Babygirl." I heard Derek say as he came up behind me, his arms wrapped around me tightly and I turned in his hold to face his chest. Hugging him back I realized just how much I needed this. To feel something solid and strong against me, and know I was safe. And knowing that that person was Derek made it all the more better, I was always safe with him.**

**He cupped my face in his hands, making me look him in the eye. "Look, baby I know you're afraid, but I promise you I'll make sure he never touches you. This bastard will never get the chance to even be in the same room as you. Ever. That's my word."**

**"I feel so selfish, all those girls...and look at me-"**

**"You have a right to be scared, Penelope. You do. Don't tear youself apart on this, you have done nothing wrong." Derek told me, he bent and kissed the top of my forehead. The press of his warm lips just above my eyes made me blush. **

**A roll of heat spread through my body, just by that little touch. What would be my response if he kissed my lips? If our tongues danced, and his hands were on my body? I shuddered just thinking about it and Derek held me tighter in his arms.**

**I closed my eyes and breathed. Each breath taking a little bit of stress and worry away. Derek had promised and had never broken one to me before. And I knew he wouldn't start now.**

**I wasn't sleeping, I kept pacing the floor over and over. Staring at my computer that was trying fruitlessly to pinpoint a location on the calls from the unsub. Ried's stupid, stupid phone I don't know why I helped him make it impenetrable. It wasn't safe, if he had gotten kidnapped and he had his phone with him. I could have easily found him in seconds and have him rescued, or if he had only simply lost it. It would be found. Nope, we had to go abve and beyond.**

**My eyelids were drooping, which meant I needed another dose of caffeine. Giving my computer a cranky glare I padded downstairs to the kitchen. Someone had already beat me there. Derek. He had poured out my batch of coffee and was making a fresh pot. **

**"Looks like I'm not the only one who wants to say awake." I said, as I took a seat at the kitchen table. Derek glanced over his shoulder and smiled tiredly.**

**"I had a bad dream." He admitted quietly, turning back to the coffee maker.**

**"Oh." Derek once told me about a few nightmares he had before, when he had them he would wake up and not even try to go back to bed. He was just up, haunted by his nightmares. "Do you want to talk about it?" I remember just last month he had woke me up from my sleep because he needed someone to talk to.**

**He poured both of us a cup of coffee. Mixing just enough cream and sugar into mine. "Lets go to the living room." He said, already heading there. He sat down and I folded myself beside him. Taking my cup from him.**

**Derek didn't begin right away, he drank from his cup until it was half-full and then sat it down. He leaned back into the couch, sinking into the cushions. I sat my cup beside his and turned on the couch, my legs beneath me, I leaned on one elbow propped on one of the head cushions. Giving him my full attention but then again he always had my full attention.**

**"I was running, I don't know what I was running too but I just know it was important that I get there fast. There was no time to spare, I had to get there. Something was chasing me, and when I looked back I fell." He paused, staring up at the ceiling like he had heard something and then continued. "All of a sudden I wasn't where I was anymore. I was in a hole..."Derek went on to tell me about his nightmare, and I could tell as he spoke he began to feel better. His eyes began to droop has he spoke to me, and once he finished he yawned. **

**Usually I would advise one of my friends to see a psychitrist for having nightmares like the ones Derek got. They weren't healthy at all, and if he didn't try to confront the living nightmares that haunted his sleep he would have them forever. And I didn't want Derek to live like that, but I knew him too well. He would never voluntarily go see a psychitrist about his personal problems. Not going to happen.**

**He narrowed his eyes on me, "What are you thinking about?"**

**"Just thinking about how bad it must be...to worry about if you're going to fall asleep and have to live through these dreams." I half lied stroking the side of his face before letting my hand fall back into my lap.**

**He rolled his eyes, "Yeah, you might have been thinking that but there was something else. Come on, babygirl, spill it."**

**I smiled, he knew **_**me **_**too well. "Okay, okay, geesh, I was thinking that you might want to go see someone about these dreams that you have. They've been going on for years, Derek. You can't live like that."**

**"Not going to happen."**

**"You worry me." I said truthfully, sometimes before I went to bed I thought about Derek. And if he was asleep living through something awful.**

**Derek's face softened, and he sighed. "I let you win too much."**

**I laughed, "What are you talking about?"**

**"You. You make me do things I don't want to do with that 'look' of yours."**

**I laughed again, my smile meeting my eyes. "What look?"**

**"Whatever, you know what I'm talking about and it **_**melts **_**me. I can't deny it." Derek explained, smiling a sexy smile that reached his eyes. And oh did it dazzle me.**

**"When have I ever used this look you're talking about?"**

**"I didn't want to apologize to the Director, you gave me the look. I didn't want to do that stupid polygraph test, you gave me the look. I didn't want to go see a psychitrist about my dreams... **_**you gave me that look**_**."**

**He had me bawling out laughing, because he was so serious. I idnd't know what the hell he was talking about but it seemed like whatever expression I had on my face effected him in some way. "Well I'm sorry that I **_**care **_**so much about you."**

**Derek smiled wider, his face lighting up. "You **_**love **_**me."**

**I nodded, "Yeah, I do."**

**His smile dimmed, but his eyes heated. Showing me what words couldn't. "I love you too."**

**"I know." It wasn't something I didn't aleady know. We had been bestfriends for years, and been through a lot with one another. Of course we loved one another. But tonight wasn't the time to delve into things that we were both too tired to talk about.**

**It felt like more should have been said, that more should have happened. But it didn't. We left it at that, admitting something we had already known and settled into one another. I laid my head on Derek's chest, and we had both fallen asleep while watching a random movie on HBO. **


End file.
